Actuating means for nail container,used particularly in heel seat lasters



Oct. 7, 1969 R. FICHTNER 3,470,755

ACTUATING MEANS FOR NAIL CONTAINER, USED PARTICULARLY IN HEEL SEAT LASTERS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed OCT.. 23, 1967 N @www 3,470,755 LARLY R. FICHTNER Oct. 7, 1969 ACTUATING MEANS FOR NAIL CONTAINER, USED PARTICU IN HEEL SEAT LASTERS I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, -1967 Ril @l Oct. 7, 1969 I R. FICHTNER 3,470,755

ACTUTING MEANS FOR NAIL CONTAINER USED PARTICULARLY v IN HEEL SEAT LAsTEis V Filed Oct. 23, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O Int. Cl. A43d 2]/14,5 F16h 27/02, 1/04 U.S. Cl. 74-89.11 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A tack hopper actuated through an oscillatory motion by a pneumatic cylinder controlled by a circuit including a Valve operated at the beginning of the operating cycle of the tack consuming machine with which the hopper is associated.

This invention relates generally to improvements in actuating mechanisms for tack hoppers associated with tack consuming machines such as heel seat lasters which tension and mold shoe uppers in the heel seat portion of shoes and then secure the lasted upper material in place by means of tacks. More particularly the invention is directed to such hoppers which dispense tacks by being oscillated once during each operating cycle of the machine.

Although the invention is more broadly applicable it is directed in one respect to solving the problems of tack hopper actuation in a machine such as that disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent No. 1,129,881, granted Mar. 2, 1915 upon application of Ronald F. McFeely. In the machine of the patent, the tack hopper is reciprocated by cam Iactuated connections including a follower roll engaging the track of a cam on the main shaft of the machine. The cam roll is heavily loaded and the cam track is difficult to lubricate effectively. The result is that the cam and follower are both subject to very rapid wear and must be frequently replaced. Because the cam is mounted on the main shaft of the machine among power transmitting elements, the replacement of the cam not only involves the expenditure of considerable time and effort but also by putting a major shoe factory machine out of service for an extended period of time seriously interferes with normal production.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to reduce the wear to which actuating connections for tack hoppers are subjected, thereby increasing the durability of the connections.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the original cost of the connections as well as the cost of maintenance.

A further object is to provide actuating connections which are readily replaced when necessary without unduly interfering with shoe factory production.

In the `achievement of the foregoing objects a feature of the invention relates to the provision of a fluid operated piston for reciprocating a rack engaged by a pinion to translate the reciprocating motion of the rack with an oscillatory motion of the hopper. According to another feature of the invention a valve is provided, which reacts to the motion of a driver lever early in the operating cycle of the associated machine to initiate the oscillatory motion of the hopper which then proceeds independently of the operating cycle of the machine.

The foregoing objects and features and numerous advantages of the present invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

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FIG. l is a View in side elevation of the upper portion of a heel seat laster including a head frame upon which is mounted a tack dispensing hopper actuated in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of fluid operated actuating devices for the hopper of FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the parts shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 after the downward motion of a driver lever and after the setting of a set of tacks.

Turning now to the drawings, particularly FIG. l, there is shown a head frame K which is an adaptation of a frame member of the machine of the above identified McFeely patent. A drive lever 1 is pivoted on the frame K by means of a link 2 provided with pivot pins 3 and 4 to connect the link with the lever 1 and the frame K respectively. At 5 near the center of the lever 1 there is a pivot connecting the lever to a Vertical rod 6 the lower end of which engages a cam 7 mounted on a machine shaft 8. The connecting rod l6 is vertically reciprocated by the action of the cam 7 and imparts an oscillatory motion to the lever 1 during each machine cycle. The pin 5 also couples the lever 1 to a vertical rod 9 having a head 9 urged downwardly by a spring 10 compressed between the end of the rod and a bolt on the machine frame so as to urge the lever in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. l. As a result the drive lever 1 moves rapidly in the clockwise direction for driving a series of tacks when the rod 6 is 4released by the cam 7.

Co-ordination between the actuating connections for a hopper 24 and the tack driving instrumentalities of the machine are established by an inlet valve V2 having a plunger which is engaged by the head 9 of the spring loaded rod. The hopper 24 is of conventional design as is its oscillatory motion but its motion is derived from fluid operated mechanism not subject to the high rate of Wear associated with the mechanism of the McFeely patent. Driving connections for the hopper 24 are mounted in a notch in the head frame K on a bracket 11 secured to the head frame by a bolt 12. Angle irons 13 and 14 are secured to the bracket 11 by screws 15 and 1'6 respectively and serve to support an air cylinder 17 which is secured to the angle irons by bolts 18. The cylinder 17 has slidably mounted in it a piston 19 connected to a rod 20 for imparting a vertical reciprocating motion to a rack 21 which meshes with a pinion 22. The reciprocation of the rack 21 is translated by the pinion 22, which is cut integral with ya shaft 23 to which the hopper 24 is secured, into an oscillatory motion of the hopper for dispensing a set of tacks.

For con-trolling the passage of air to the cylinder 17 there are in addition to the valve V2 valves V1, and V3. The valve V2 which is a plunger operated valve is secured to an angle iron bracket 28 by means of bolts 29, While the bracket itself is xed by screws 30 to an exterior panel 31 of the head frame K. The plunger of the valve V2 denoted at 32 is raised by engagement with the head 9 while the machine is in inoperative condition. The valve V1 which is operated by a follower roll bearing lever serves as a reversing valve for the direction of motion of the piston 19. The valve V1 is bolted at 33 to a supporting member 34 in turn aixed to the bracket 11 by screws 35. A cam 36 is bolted at 37 to the rack 21 and by engagement With the roler at the distal end of an actuating lever 38 of the Valve V1 causes the reversal in the direction of motion of the rack and of the hopper 24 as will hereinafter appear. The valve V3 which is a switching Valve is secured to the supporting member 34 by screws 39.

As seen in FIG, 2 pneumatic components of the machine are illustrated in inoperative condition. Air under pressure is supplied from -a main machine line 40 to the valve V2 at a port 41, to the valve V1 at a port 42 and to the valve V3 at a port 43. Through the spool of the valve V3, air under pressure is directed from the port 43 to a port 44 and applied to the upper surface of the piston 19 to maintain the rack 21 in its lowermost position. The spool of the valve V3 remains in its lowermost position until air under pressure is directed to it from a port 45 of the valve V2 through a port 46 of the valve V3. While the spool of the valve V3 is down the lower chamber in the cylinder 17, below the piston 19, is exhausted to atmosphere through the upper portion of the spool of the valve V3 being connected to the valve V3 through a port 47. For venting the upper surface of the spool V3 to atmosphere the valve V1 is provided with a port 48 connected to a port 49 on the valve V3. Communication between the port 44 of the valve V3 and the upper chamber of the cylinder 17 above the piston 19 is established through an inlet connection 50 on the cylinder. Similarly the port 47 of the valve V3 communicates with an inlet 51 in the lower chamber of the cylinder 17.

summarizing the condition of the pneumatic components as shown in FIG. 2 when the machine is inoperative, both ends of the spool of the valve V3 are at atmosphere, the lower end through the port 46 of the valve V3, the port 45 of the valve V2 and through the lower end of the spool of the valve V2. The upper end of the spool of the valve is connected to atmosphere through its own port 49, the port 48 of the valve V1 and through the leftward end of the spool of the valve V1. Air under pressure is applied to the upper surface of the piston 19 through the port 43, the spool V3, the port 44 and the inlet 50.

When the head 9' of the rod 9 descends it allows the plunger 32 to move downwardly under spring pressure and communication is established through the upper half of the spool of the valve V2 from the port 41 to the port 45. The lower end of the spool of the valve V3 is thereby placed under air pressure through the port 46 causing the spool to rise bringing the lower half of the spool into position for establishing communication among the ports 43, 44, 47 and atmosphere as seen in FIG. 3. Thus air under pressure is introduced to the lower chamber below the piston 19 from the port 43 to the port 47 to the inlet 51 while the inlet 50 is connected to the port 44 and through the spool of the valve V3 to atmosphere, causing the piston 19 to rise.

Before the cam 36 engages the follower roll on the arm 38 to move the spool of the valve V1 to the left as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the normal operating cycle of the machine is such that the head 9 engages the plunger 32 and raises it to the position of FIG. 2. As a result the lower end surface of the spool of the valve V3 is connected to atmosphere from its port 46 through the port 45 of the valve V2 and the lower portion of the spool of the valve V2. When the cam 36 engages the follower roll of the arm 38 and thereby moves the spool of the valve V1 leftwardly against spring pressure, the top surface of the spool V3 is subjected to pressurized air through the port 49 of the valve V3, the ports 42 and 48 and the spool of the valve V1. Pressurized air at the port 49 causes the spool of the valve V3 to descend to the position of FIG. 2 with the result that the inlet 50 in the upper chamber of the cylinder 17 receives pressurized air through the ports 43 and 44 and the upper half of the spool of the valve V3. At the same time the lower chamber from the inlet 51 of the cylinder 17 is also vented to atmosphere through the port 47 and the upper half of the spool of the valve V3. As a result of these connections established through the upper portion of the valve V3, the direction of motion of the piston 19 is reversed and the piston starts to descend. During the descent of the piston 19 the follower roll on the arm 38 after passage of the cam surface 36 swings in a clockwise direction returning the spool of the valve V1 to the position of FIG. 2. All of the pneumatic elements after having caused a single oscillation of the hopper 24 are then in the condition depicted in FIG. 2 ready for the next operating cycle of the machine.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that during an operating cycle of the machine the oscillatory motion of the hopper 24 is merely timed to the cycle at its start which is occasioned by the head 9 moving away from the piston 32 of the valve V2. Thereafter the motion of the hopper proceeds independently of the motion of the machine. In order that the dispensing of tacks may be accomplished without undue shock, dampening of the motion of the piston 19 may be achieved by the introduction of throttle valves in the lines connecting the port 44 `with the inlet 50 and the port 47 with the inlet 51. In such cases, depending upon the adjustment of the throttle valves the oscillation cycle of the hopper 24 may be lengthened. The throttle valves may be so adjusted that the nal portion of the motion of the hopper 24 is accomplished after the machine and the drive lever 1 have come to rest. This is advantageous since a separating slide which dispenses the tacks to the driver is operated just before the hopper comes to rest by engagement with a curve 60 on the hopper. Thus there is no shock either from the machine or the hopper to interfere with the effective separating action of the slide which is reciprocated in a known manner.

In the operation of the machine, it is some times either desirable or necessary that a given shoe be given a second wiping operation at its heel seat without driving tacks at the end of the first wiping operation. In order to accomplish this, the drive lever 1 is immobilized during the first wiping cycle by moving a sliding block 52 below a shoulder 53 of the connecting rod 6. A pivot 54 receives a handle S5 which is connected to a downwardly extending lever 56 in turn connected to the sliding block 52. The connection between the lever 56 and the sliding block 52 is by means of a slot 57 in lthe lower end of the lever embracing a pin 58 in the block.

\ Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Mechanism for imparting an oscillatory motion to a tack hopper for dispensing tacks during each cycle of a tack consuming machine comprising a shaft to which the hopper is secured, a pinion on the shaft, a rack engaging the pinion, fluid operated means for imparting a reciprocating motion to the rack and means including a part of the machine actuated early in each cycle and a control device for sensing the start of an operating cycle of the machine by determining motion of the part for providing pressurized fluid to the fluid operated means in response to the start of the cycle.

2. Mechanism according to claim 1 in which the fluid operated means is a pneumatically actuated piston connected to the rack.

3. Mechanism according to claim 1 in which the sensing means includes a valve having a piston moved by engagement with the part of the machine.

4. Mechanism according to claim 1 further comprising a throttle valve associated with the fluid operated means and cam means on the hopper for actuating a separating slide whereby the duration of the motion of the hopper may be lengthened so that the separation of tacks takes place after completion of the machine operating cycle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,129,881 3/1915 McFeely l2-l2.3 2,885,902 5/1959 Hackett 74-422 2,901,916 9/1959 Heyer 74-422 3,082,448 3/1963 Rockwell 12-12.3

FRED C. MATTERN, I R., Primary Examiner W. S. RATLIFF, JR., Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

